Tell them how it's gonna benefit them and you, and how much you're willing to go for it all the way. At old age, parents tend to want to leave something behind to their kids, and if you can at least tell them it's important to you, they'll respond.
There's nothing to lose, as long as you accept whatever they decide wholeheartedly. You can still try it later in life without their help if you have to.
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Reminds me how families are all different. Everything my parents and I ever talk about are goals (and school life when it applied), so that would be an easy thing for me to introduce. We never talked barkadas, hobbies, or lovelife, though (all three of us kids). Literally never.
Heck us three don't even talk about that to each other

. I wouldn't recognize my brothers' best friends and GF if they were right in front of me, and they wouldn't recognize mine

.